Steam pressing iron



Jan. 8, 1963 w. BLANK 7 3,071,879

STEAM PRESSING IRON Filed Jan. 9, 1962 'E1 d 4 J ,15

E lg-T'fi EIg j I {6 Inventor:

William BLANK E1g 4 Attorneys 3,671,879 Patented Jan. 8, 1963 3,071,879STEAM PRESSING IRON William Blank, 270 Queen St., Montreal, Quebec,Canada Filed Jan. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 165,085 2 Claims. (Cl. 3877) Thisinvention relates to improvements in steam irons and particularly tomeans whereby the sole-plate of the iron is kept at a relatively lowtemperature required for ironing of synthetic fabrics.

Steam irons are generally fitted with a solid sole-plate through whichsteam passages are drilled with relatively small diameter holes throughwhich the steam is carried over a large part of the area of thesole-plate. This particular type of construction has variousdisadvantages such as the sole-plate being kept at a relatively hightemperature, the only control of which is thermostat of the iron. Afurther disadvantageds that the steam tends to condense in therelatively small diameter passages and the ejection of water particleson the fabric which retards efficient ironing. Also, when the iron isallowed to stand, there is a tendency for the passages to becomeencrusted with foreign matter to further reduce the efiiciency of theiron.

The present invention is intended to overcome the above disadvantagesand consists essentially in forming the sole-plate of the iron in twoparts, one on top of the other and separated by an asbestos gasket. Theopposing surfaces of the two parts of the sole-plate are hollowed out toprovide a large steam area divided into two sections by a barrierforming an elongated narrow passage permitting the steam to pass fromone section into the other. The section nearest the steam inlet forms asteam expansion chamber where the steam is dried by contact with the hotupper part of the sole-plate which is in direct contact with the heatingelement of the iron. The asbestos gasket between the upper and lowerpart of the sole-plate reduces the transfer of heat from the top part tothe lower part so that the lower part can be kept at a moderatetemperature and only dry steam is permitted to escape through theapertures in the lower part to come in contact with the fabric beingironed.

The object of the invention is to provide in a steam iron means wherebythe sole-plate of the iron can be kept at a moderate temperaturesuitable for ironing synthetic fabrics.

A further object of the invention is to provide means in a steam ironfor a large expansion of the steam and to retain it in a dry condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a two part sole-platefor a steam iron, one of which is kept hot and the other relativelycool.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a typical corporating the presentinvention. 1

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sole-plate of the steam iron partly cutaway to show the two chamber interior.

FIG. 3 is. a vertical section on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the steam iron 5 shown in FIG. 1 is a typicalexample and is provided with a two part sole-plate comprising an upperpart 6 and a lower part 7 separated by an asbestos gasket 8.

steam iron in- The iron 5 is provided with a steam chamber 9 and aheating element 10 and has a steam supply inlet 11.

The two part sole-plate 6 and 7 have their opposing surfaces hollowedout at 12 and 13 to form a large area steam chamber divided by theopposing transverse barriers 14 and 15 oppositely disposed in each ofthe two parts 6 and 7 and separated from each other to form an elongatednarrow slot 16 to permit passage of steam from one chamber 17 to theother chamber 18.

The two parts 6 and 7 are secured together by the screws 19 passingthrough the upper part 16 and secured in the threaded holes 20 in thelower part 7.

The steam chamber 9 is provided with an outlet fitting 21 while thecompartment 17 is provided with a steam inlet fitting 22, the fittings21 and 22 being connected by the pipe 23. The entry of steam through thesupply inlet pipe 11 is controlled by the valve 24 in the well knownmanner, and a thermostat controls the heating element 10 also in wellknown manner.

In the operation of this device, steam from the supply inlet 11 ispermitted to flow into the steam chamber 9 where it is heated and driedby the heating element It From the steam chamber 9 the dried steampasses through the pipe 23 into the chamber 17 in the sole-plate of theiron where the steam is rapidly expanded. Due to the fact that the upperpart 6 of the sole-plate is in direct contact with the heating element10 it is kept at a relatively high temperature. Any condensation of thesteam which takes place due to its passage through the pipe 23 iscompensated for by the rapid expansion of the steam in the chamber 17and its contact with the very hot upper part 6 of the sole-plate,causing the steam in the chamber 17 to become very dry again. This drysteam then passes through the elongated slot 16 into the chamber 18andthence through the apertures 25 in the lower part 7 of the sole-plate.

Because of the asbestos gasket 3 separating the upper and lower parts 6and 7 of the sole-plate, there is a minimum of heat transfer between thehot upper part 6 and the lower part 7 thereby keeping the lower part 7at a relatively low temperature suitable for ironing synthetic fabrics.Furthermore, due to the rapid expansion of the steam in the chamber 17and the contact of the steam with the large heated surface of the upperpart 6 of the soleplate the steam is kept in a very dry condition whileit passes through the chamber 18 and out through the apertures 25. Thedry steam coming in contact with the fabric results in excellent ironingof the fabric without the appearance of water spots as was previouslythe case when the temperature of the sole-plate was reduced to therelatively low temperature required to press synthetic fabrics.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a steam pressing iron including a first steam chamber and aheating element located on the underside of the said steam chamber, asole-plate secured to the underside of the iron, the said sole-platecomprising an upper member and a lower member, the said upper memherbeing in contact with the said heating element, each of the said upperand lower members having their 0pposing surfaces recessed, and a gasketforming a peripheral seal between the said upper and lower members, atransverse barrier on the opposing recessed surfaces of the said firstand second members, the said barriers being spaced apart from each otherto form an elongated slot communicating on one side with a steamexpansion chamber and on the other side with a third steam chamber, thesaid lower member having a series of apertures forming steam passagesbetween said third steam chamber and the outside of the sole-plate, andmeans to pass steam from the said first mentioned steam chamber to thesaid steam expansion chamber.

2. In a steam pressing iron as set forth in claim 1, in which the saidtransverse barrier is formed by opposing ribs on each of the upper andlower members of the soleplate and extending transversely of therecessed opposing surfaces of the upper and lower members and spacedapart slightly from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS1,347,224 Kako July 20, 1920 1,384,301 Buskard July 12, 1921 2,299,202Bass Oct. 20, 1942 2,876,565 Jacobson Mar. 10, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS732,559 Germany Mar. 5, 1943

1. IN A STEAM PRESSING IRON INCLUDING A FIRST STEAM CHAMBER AND AHEATING ELEMENT LOCATED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SAID STEAM CHAMBER, ASOLE-PLATE SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE IRON, THE SAID SOLE-PLATECOMPRISING AN UPPER MEMBER AND A LOWER MEMBER, THE SAID UPPER MEMBERBEING IN CONTACT WITH THE SAID HEATING ELEMENT, EACH OF THE SAID UPPERAND LOWER MEMBERS HAVING THEIR OPPOSING SURFACES RECESSED, AND A GASKETFORMING A PERIPHERAL SEAL BETWEEN THE SAID UPPER AND LOWER MEMBERS, ATRANSVERSE BARRIER ON THE OPPOSING RECESSED SURFACES OF THE SAID FIRSTAND SECOND MEMBERS, THE SAID BARRIERS BEING SPACED APART FROM EACH OTHERTO FORM AN ELONGATED SLOT COMMUNICATING ON ONE SIDE WITH A STEAMEXPANSION CHAMBER AND ON THE OTHER SIDE WITH A THIRD STEAM CHAMBER, THESAID LOWER MEMBER HAVING A SERIES OF APERTURES FORMING STEAM PASSAGESBETWEEN SAID THIRD STEAM CHAMBER AND THE OUTSIDE OF THE SOLE-PLATE, ANDMEANS TO PASS STEAM FROM THE SAID FIRST MENTIONED STEAM CHAMBER TO THESAID STEAM EXPANSION CHAMBER.